Former NFL quarterback Donovan McNabb will get new on-air gig with NBC Sports Radio / Kirby Lee, USA TODAY Sports

by Michael Hiestand, USA TODAY Sports

by Michael Hiestand, USA TODAY Sports

NBC will formally announce Friday that McNabb, who retired after the 2011 season after 13 years as an NFL quarterback, will co-host an NBC Sports Radio show with another former NFL quarterback -- Mark Malone.

"NBC has given me a platform to continue to expand in broadcasting," McNabb told USA TODAY Sports on Thursday. "And with radio, you don't want to be stuck just talking NFL. We'll talk baseball, basketball, the Olympics, current events. We're also fans."

McNabb and Malone will debut April 1, when NBC Sports Radio will go from just distributing news updates and evening shows to 24/7 programming. So far, says NBC spokesman Chris McCloskey, at least part of NBC Sports Radio's content is being picked up by 249 radio stations.

The new radio show will air weekdays from 3-7 p.m. ET and will be produced in Phoenix, where McNabb and Malone live. McNabb says he has known Malone, an ex-ESPN analyst, since McNabb's rookie year. McNabb made cameo appearances on ESPN to gain broadcasting experience even as he was just beginning his NFL career.

McNabb, who says he has thought about going into broadcasting since he earned a degree in communications at Syracuse, also appears on the NFL Network's Playbook show. That airs weekly during the season. McNabb says he "absolutely" would like to get more on-air roles at NFLN.

McCloskey says NBC has no plans finalized at this time to use McNabb in a TV role.

Working a four-hour radio show will arguably be harder than doing many TV studio shows, where analysts often just need to offer up a few soundbites on prearranged topics. But McNabb doesn't seem worried: "It's part of getting into the business. Not everything is going to be easy, or a cakewalk. But I don't shy away from work -- I played the quarterback position."